Water-craft.



A. J. & E. A. SUHM. WATER CRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20. 1905.

PATENTED SEPT. 25, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J. SUHM AND EDGAR A. SUHM, OF MLVAUKEE, VISGONSIN.

WATER-CRAFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1906.

Application led February 20,1905. Serial No. 246,610.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR J. SUI-IM and EDGAR A. Soi-IM, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and Stateof lVisconsin, have invented new and useful improvements inlVater-Craft, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in that class of sailing-craft inwhich a plurality of hulls are employed.

The object of our invention is to provide a form of construction inwhich the several hulls are connected with and contribute to support arigid carrying frame or deck, each hull being free to oscillate over thewaves on a horizontal pivot and all of the hulls being connected in sucha manner that they may be simultaneously turned on vertical pivots forsteering purposes, the front and rear hulls being arranged to turn inopposite directions, whereby stability is secured and the movement ofthe craft readily and quickly controlled.

In the following description reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a plan view with the deck broken awayto show the arrangement of the hulls, steering connections, and stays.Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is a side view, on a reduced scaleshowing the relation of the sail when used.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughoutthe several views.

1 is a carrying frame or deck provided with a beam 2 and a mast 3. Thedeckframe is supported from a series of hulls 4, 5, and 6, the hulls 4and 5 being located underneath the ends of the beam 2 and the rear hulls6 being located under the longitudinal center line of the deck near itsrear end. The hulls 4 and 5 are each provided with aninwardly-projecting steering-arm 10, which preferably, also, constitutesa horizontal pivot-shaft 1 1 for the hulls. Each of the hulls isprovided with upwardly-projecting bearing members 12, in which thepivot-shaft 11 is journaled, the shaft being also journaled indownwardly-projecting bearing members 13, connected with a rotary diskor wheel 14, which supports and turns upon a stationary disk or wheel15, the latter being rigidly connected with the deck 1 and beam 2. Acentral vertical pivot -bolt 16 connects the wheels 14 and 15, wherebythe hulls are permitted to oscillate not only on the horizontalpivot-shaft11, but also on the vertical pivot bolt or shaft 16, thewheels 14 and 15 serving as a turn-table and providing a broad bearingwhich relieves the vertical pivot-bolt of the strain, which wouldotherwise be exerted upon it. The rear hull is provided with ahorizontal pivot-shaft 20, similar to the shaft 1 1, and with arms 21,projecting laterally on both sides thereof and which are preferablyextensions of the pivot-shaft. This hull is also provided withturn-table wheels 14 and 15 and bearing members 12 and 13, whereby thehull is connected with thevdeck and permitted to oscillatc upon avertical pivot-bolt 16 in the same vmanner as above described withreference to the hulls 4 and 5. steering-wheel is preferably connectedwith the vertical pivot-bolt 16 of the rear hull. A lever 27 ispreferably pivoted to the front of the beam 2S. The outer ends of thislever 27 are connected with the inner ends of the arms l() and with theouter ends of the arms 21, whereby the motion of the steering-wheel 25is communicated simultaneously to each of the hulls.

It will be observed that the connections are so made that when the arms10 of the hulls 4 and 5, respectively, are in lineal alinement all thehulls will occupy positions parallel with the longitudinal center lineof the craft. By moving the lever 25 to the right, as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 1, the two forward hulls will be swung to theright, while the rear hull will be swung to the left, thereby causingthe craft to turn toward the right. A left-hand turn will of course bemade by swinging the lever 25 in the opposite direction.

The outer ends of the hulls 4 and 5, respectively, are preferablyconnected by stays 30 with the inner ends of the levers 10, and, ifdesired, the pivot-shafts 11 may be extended beyond the hulls for theattachment of outer stays 33, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Stays areemployed to connect the front and rear ends of the hull 6 with the arms21. The object of the stays is to relieve the strain IOO upon the hullsin passing over the waves and when steering.

In the drawings a mast 3 is shown stepped in the forward central portionof the deck and beam 2.

Any suitable form of sail may be used, or, if desired, the sail may bedispensed with and other motive power employed.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isu 1. Inadevice of the described class, thecombination of a rigid deck-frame, a set of hulls supporting said frame;connections between the hulls and frame adapted to permit the hulls toswing on both vertical and horizontal axes; and connections between thehulls adapted to communicate their horizontal movement from one to theother; said connections being arranged to move the front and rear hullsin opposite directions.

2. In a device of the described class, the combination of a rigiddeck-frame; a set of hulls supporting saidframe connections between thehulls and frame adapted to permitl the hulls to swing on both verticaland horizontal axes and flexible connections between the hulls, eachattached to the opposite side of -a front hull from that of itsatsaidfra'me;y connections between the hulls and frame adaptedto permitthe hulls to vswing Von both vertical and horizontal axes rigidsteering-arms extending inwardly from each of the forward hulls andoutwardly at both sides of the rear hull and connections j extendingfrom the arm of each forward hull to the'arm 'projecting from theopposite side v'of the rear hull.

' 4. In, a device of the 'described class," the combination of a rigiddeck-frame; a set of I* two forward hulls and one rear hull supportingsaid frame; connections between the hulls and frame, adapted to permitthe hulls y*to swing on both vertical and horizontal axes;i

rigid steering-arms extending inwardly from each of the forward hullsand outwardly at both sides rof the rear hull, and connections extendingfrom the arm of each forwardhull to the arm projecting from the oppositeside jof the rear hull togetherwith a set of stays porting said frame;connections between vthe hulls and frame 'adapted'to permit the hulls toswing on both vertical and horizontal axes a mast located between theforward hulls; and means for swinging the hulls simultaneously.

6. In a device of the described class, the combination of a rigiddeck-frame g a set of two hulls and one re ar hull supporting said frame5 said deck frame being provided with turn-I tables interposed betweenthe vdeck-frame and hulls, each having a rotatable part, centrallypivoted to the deck-frame, and mounted upon a horizontal pivot-rodconnected with the hull; and means for turning said hulls in unison upontheir vertical axes.

7. In a device of the described class, the combination of a rigiddeck-frame, a set of two forward hulls and one rear hull, supportingsaid frame; said deck-frame being provided with turn-tables interposedbetween the deck-frame and hulls, each having a rotatable part,centrally pivoted to the deck-frame, and mounted upon-a horizontalpivot-rod connected with the hull 5 and means for turning said hulls inunison upon their vertical axes, all of said hulls being free tooscillate on said horizontal pivot-rods, each independently of saiddeck-frame, and ofeach other.

8. In a device of the described class, the vcombination of a rigiddeck-frame, a set of two forward hulls and one rear hull supporting saidframe, and free to oscillate independently on horizontal axes; means forswinging said hulls in a horizontal plane central lateral projections oneach hull; and stays connecting the ends of each hull with said lateralprojections.

9. In a device of the described class, the combination of a rigidrdeck-frame; aset of two forward hulls and one rear hull supporting saidframe and free to oscillate-independently on horizontal axes; means forpermitting said hulls to swing on vertical axes; projections extendinginwardly from the front hulls and outwardly from the rear hull; acentrally-pivoted bar connected with the forward portion of the frame;and flexible connections between each end of the bar, the projectionofone forward hull, and an oppositely-extending'projection on the rearhull.

l0. In a device of the described class, the combination of a rigiddeck-frame; horizontal. pivot-rods connected wit'hthe deck-frame a setof hulls, journaled upon the pivot-rods in bearings having sufficientspread to prevent the hulls from swinging laterally'with reference tothe pivot rods; and suitable steering mechanism.

11. In a device of the described class, the combination of a rigiddeck-frame; horizontal pivot-rods connectedwith the deck-frame; a set ofhulls journaled upon the pivot-rods in bearings having suiiicientspread' to prevent IOO IIO

the hulls from swmging laterally with reference to the pivot-rods; staysConnecting the ends of said hulls with suitable supports substantiallyin the lines of their respective transverse centers.

12. In a device of the described class, the combination of a rigiddeck-frame 5 horizontal pivot-rods connected with the deck-frame; a setof hullsI journaled upon the pvot-rods in bearings having su'llicientspread to prevent the hulls from swinging laterally with reference tothe pivot rods g and steering mechanism connected with one of the hullsln testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses.

ARTHUR J. SUHM. EDGAR A. SUHM.

Witnesses as to Arthur J. Suhm:

KATHARINE HOEFER, R. WV. SUI-1M.

` Vitnesses as to Edgar A. Suhm:

WVM. H. KINGMAN, M. l). VHITTEN.

